RURAL VOICES: 15 AUTHORS CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT SMALL-TOWN AMERICA
Forthcoming from Candlewick Press, Fall 2020
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
REVIEWS
“The strength of the collection is how well it demonstrates the universality of themes such as belonging, family struggles, grief, the desire for individual growth, the meaning of home, and challenging injustice…A fresh and highly accessible contribution.” ~Kirkus Reviews
Look for “The (Unhealthy) Breakfast Club” in this anthology of short stories about growing up rural. The collection challenges the stereotype of a monolithic rural America and explores the complexity, beauty, and nuances of growing up in small communities.
Thaw
Front Street Books, 2008
A month ago, Dane was on top of the world. He was a champion skier with a hot girlfriend and a bright future. Then everything collapsed, starting with him. Dane has Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a sudden-onset neurological crisis that’s caused him to lose control of every muscle in his body.
From an athlete who was in total control of his life, now Dane’s girlfriend has dumped him, his friends are MIA, and his family’s shuttled him off to a Florida rehab hospital. Lying in the bed, there’s not much to do but think, and there’s not much to think about but where it all went wrong.
Read the full review.
“Roe’s descriptions of wintry New York are stunningly beautiful. The protagonist’s frustrations about feeling out of control will resonate with teens, and the context of neurological rehab presents an original and challenging read.” –School Library Journal
“A tasty mix of drama and contemplation. . . . The combination of Dane’s arrogance and helplessness makes him an intriguing protagonist.” –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
